Every morning, I wake up, head to the bathroom and assess the damage. What fresh hell has broken out on my face overnight? Did the latest wonder serum work? Or is the angry constellation of blemishes still multiplying?
Acne is a skin condition synonymous with adolescence: it’s Clearasil adverts and the pungent smell of tea tree and countless movie scenes where the young heroine gets a massive spot before the school prom. But it’s not simply a matter of “growing out of it” when you leave your teens behind. For some, acne can continue – or rear its ugly head for the first time – well into adulthood. According to the NHS, around 5 per cent of women and 1 per cent of men experience it over the age of 25, and I’m among them (acne is thought to be more common in women because of hormonal fluctuations).
